Energy storage apparatus

ABSTRACT

An energy storage apparatus includes an energy storage device and a spacer, in which the spacer has a main body portion, and a third protrusion having a shape that protrudes in a first direction that is a direction from the main body portion to a side surface or a bottom surface of the energy storage device, the protrusion not abutting on a surface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction, and an end edge of the main body portion in the first direction is positioned away in the first direction relative to the surface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an energy storage apparatus whichincludes an energy storage device and a spacer.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, an energy storage apparatus including an energy storagedevice and a spacer is widely known. Patent Document 1 discloses anenergy storage apparatus (battery module) including an energy storagedevice (battery cell) and a spacer, in which the spacer is configured tohave a bottom wall portion facing a bottom surface of the energy storagedevice.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

Patent Document 1: JP-A-2015-5362

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

In the energy storage apparatus with the conventional configurationdescribed above, it may be difficult to cool the energy storage device.

An object of the present invention is to provide an energy storageapparatus capable of easily cooling an energy storage device.

Means for Solving the Problems

An energy storage apparatus according to one aspect of the presentinvention is an energy storage apparatus including an energy storagedevice and a spacer, in which the spacer has a main body portion and aprotrusion having a shape that protrudes in a first direction that is adirection from the main body portion to a side surface or a bottomsurface of the energy storage device, the protrusion not abutting on asurface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction, andan end edge of the main body portion in the first direction ispositioned away in the first direction relative to the surface of theenergy storage device that faces the first direction.

The present invention can be realized not only as an energy storageapparatus described above but also as a spacer included in the energystorage apparatus.

Advantages of the Invention

According to the energy storage apparatus of the present invention, theenergy storage device can be easily cooled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an energystorage apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing components when theenergy storage apparatus according to the embodiment is disassembled.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an energystorage device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing aconfiguration of a spacer (intermediate spacer) according to theembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing aconfiguration of a spacer (end spacer) according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view and a plan view showing a configuration ofan insulator according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a side plateaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing a positionalrelationship among the energy storage device, the spacer, an end member,the insulator, and the side plate according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship among theenergy storage device, the spacer, the end member, the insulator, andthe side plate according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a positional relationshipamong the energy storage device, the spacer, the insulator, and the sideplate according to the embodiment.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the energy storage apparatus with the conventional configurationdescribed above, it may be difficult to cool the energy storage device.In Patent Document 1 described above, the spacer aims at positioningwith the energy storage device by placing the energy storage device onthe bottom wall portion, but since the spacer has the bottom wallportion, the bottom surface of the energy storage device is not exposed,or, even if it is exposed, an amount of the exposed portion is small.For this reason, for example, when the bottom surface of the energystorage device is made to abut on the cooling device to cool the energystorage device, the bottom wall portion of the spacer becomes anobstacle, making it difficult to make the bottom surface of the energystorage device abut on the cooling device. Therefore, the energy storagedevice cannot be easily cooled.

An energy storage apparatus according to one aspect of the presentinvention is an energy storage apparatus that includes an energy storagedevice and a spacer, in which the spacer has a main body portion, and aprotrusion having a shape that protrudes in a first direction that is adirection from the main body portion to a side surface or a bottomsurface of the energy storage device, the protrusion not abutting on asurface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction, andan end edge of the main body portion in the first direction ispositioned away in the first direction relative to the surface of theenergy storage device that faces the first direction.

According to this, in the energy storage apparatus, the spacer has theprotrusion having a shape that protrudes in the first direction that isthe direction from the main body portion to the side surface side or thebottom surface side of the energy storage device, and does not abut onthe surface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction,and the end edge of the main body portion in the first direction isdisposed on the side opposite to the first direction relative to thesurface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction. Inthis way, the spacer is provided with the protrusion having a shape thatprotrudes in the first direction of the energy storage device but doesnot abut on the surface of the energy storage device that faces thefirst direction, and the main body portion of the spacer is disposed bythe protrusion at a position where it does not protrude relative to thesurface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction.Thus, the surface of the energy storage device that faces the firstdirection can be made to abut on the cooling device without obstructionby the main body portion and the protrusion of the spacer, so that theenergy storage device can be easily cooled.

Further, an abutting member that abuts on the surface of the energystorage device that faces the first direction may be provided.

According to this, the energy storage apparatus further includes theabutting member that abuts on the surface of the energy storage devicethat faces the first direction. In this way, the surface of the energystorage device that faces the first direction can be positioned bymaking the surface of the energy storage device that faces the firstdirection abut on the abutting member. For example, when the energystorage apparatus includes a plurality of energy storage devices, it ispossible to align the surfaces of the plurality of energy storagedevices that face the first direction by making the surfaces of theplurality of energy storage devices that face the first direction abuton the abutting member. This makes it possible to make the surfaces ofthe energy storage devices that face the first direction easily abut onthe cooling device, so that the energy storage devices can be easilycooled.

In an energy storage apparatus including an energy storage device and aspacer, the spacer has a main body portion and a protrusion thatprotrudes in a first direction that is a direction from the main bodyportion to a side surface or a bottom surface of the energy storagedevice, an end edge of the main body portion in the first direction ispositioned away in the first direction relative to a surface of theenergy storage device that faces the first direction, and the energystorage apparatus may further include an abutting member that abuts onthe surface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction.

According to this, in the energy storage apparatus, the spacer has theprotrusion that protrudes in the first direction that is the directionfrom the main body portion to the side surface side or the bottomsurface side of the energy storage device, the end edge of the main bodyportion in the first direction is disposed on the side opposite to thefirst direction relative to the surface of the energy storage devicethat faces the first direction, and the energy storage apparatus furtherincludes the abutting member that abuts on the surface of the energystorage device that faces the first direction. In this way, the spaceris provided with the protrusion that protrudes in the first direction ofthe energy storage device, and the main body portion of the spacer isdisposed by the protrusion at a position that does not protrude relativeto the surface of the energy storage device that faces the firstdirection. Thus, the surface of the energy storage device that faces thefirst direction can be made to abut on the cooling device withoutobstruction by the main body portion of the spacer. By making thesurface of the energy storage device that faces the first direction abuton the abutting member, the surface of the energy storage device thatfaces the first direction can be positioned. For example, when theenergy storage apparatus includes a plurality of energy storage devices,it is possible to align the surfaces of the plurality of energy storagedevices that face the first direction by making the surfaces of theplurality of energy storage devices that face the first direction abuton the abutting member. With these, the surface of the energy storagedevice that faces the first direction can be made to easily abut on thecooling device, so that the energy storage device can be easily cooled.

The abutting member may abut on a surface of the energy storage devicethat faces a second direction intersecting the first direction.

According to this, the abutting member is disposed at a positionabutting on the surface of the energy storage device that faces thesecond direction intersecting the first direction. In this way, theabutting member also abuts on the surface of the energy storage devicethat faces the second direction, so that the energy storage device canbe positioned also in the second direction. Accordingly, the energystorage device can be easily positioned with respect to the coolingdevice also in the second direction, so that the energy storage devicecan be easily cooled.

The protrusion may abut on the abutting member.

According to this, the protrusion of the spacer is disposed at aposition abutting on the abutting member. In this way, the spacer canalso be positioned by using the member for positioning the energystorage device by making also the protrusion of the spacer abut on theabutting member on which the energy storage device abuts. Accordinglythe spacer can be easily positioned at a position that does not causeobstruction when the energy storage device is made to abut on thecooling device, so that the energy storage device can be easily cooled.

An end edge of the protrusion in the first direction may be disposed onthe same plane as the surface of the energy storage device that facesthe first direction.

According to this, the end edge of the protrusion of the spacer in thefirst direction is disposed on the same plane as the surface of theenergy storage device that faces the first direction. By thus disposingthe end edge of the spacer and the surface of the energy storage deviceon the same plane, the end edge of the spacer and the surface of theenergy storage device can be aligned, and thus the spacer and the energystorage device can be easily positioned simply by placing them on a flatmember. Accordingly since it is possible to easily position the energystorage device with respect to the cooling device while easilypositioning the spacer at a position where it does not causeobstruction, the energy storage device can be easily cooled.

The protrusions may be arranged at both end portions of the main bodyportion in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

According to this, the protrusions of the spacer are disposed at boththe end portions of the main body portion of the spacer. Since theprotrusions of the spacer are arranged at both the end portions of themain body portion in this way the cooling device can be disposed betweenthe protrusions at both the end portions. Accordingly, the energystorage device can be made to easily abut on the cooling device, so thatthe energy storage device can be easily cooled.

Hereinafter, an energy storage apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe present invention is described with reference to the drawings. Theembodiments described below show comprehensive or specific examples.However, numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangementpositions and connection modes of the components, manufacturingprocesses, order of manufacturing processes, and the like described inthe embodiments hereinafter are only examples and are not intended tolimit the present invention. Among the components in the embodimentsdescribed hereinafter, the components which are not described inindependent claims which describe uppermost concepts are described asarbitrary components. In addition, the dimensions and the like are notstrictly illustrated in each drawing.

In the following description and drawings, the arrangement direction ofa pair of electrode terminals in one energy storage device, the facingdirection of a pair of short side surfaces in a case of one energystorage device, the arrangement direction of an insulator, thearrangement direction of a side plate, or the arrangement direction ofan insulator and a side plate is defined as the X-axis direction. Thearrangement direction of energy storage devices, the arrangementdirection of spacers (intermediate spacers, end spacers), thearrangement direction of end members, the arrangement direction ofenergy storage devices, spacers, and end members, the facing directionof a pair of long side surfaces in a case of one energy storage device,or the thickness direction of the energy storage device, the spacer, orthe end member is defined as the Y-axis direction. The arrangementdirection of a case body and a lid of the energy storage device, thearrangement direction of the energy storage device, a bus bar, and a busbar holding member, or the vertical direction is defined as the Z-axisdirection. These X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axisdirection are directions that intersect each other (orthogonal in thepresent embodiment). Although the Z-axis direction may not be in thevertical direction depending on the usage mode, the Z-axis directionwill be described below as the vertical direction for convenience ofexplanation. In the following description, the X-axis plus directionindicates the arrow direction of the X-axis, and the X-axis minusdirection indicates the direction opposite to the X-axis plus direction.The same applies to the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

The Z-axis minus direction is an example of the first direction, and theX-axis direction is an example of the second direction. That is, thefirst direction is a direction toward the bottom surface side of theenergy storage device, and the second direction is a directionintersecting the first direction.

Embodiment

[1 General Description of Energy Storage Apparatus 10]

First, a configuration of an energy storage apparatus 10 is described.FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of theenergy storage apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2is an exploded perspective view showing components when the energystorage apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment isdisassembled.

The energy storage apparatus 10 is an apparatus which is charged withelectricity from the outside or can discharge electricity to theoutside. The energy storage apparatus 10 is a battery module (assembledbattery) used for power storage application, power source application,or the like. Specifically, the energy storage apparatus 10 is used as abattery or the like for driving or starting engine of a moving body,such as an automobile such as an electric vehicle (EV), a hybridelectric vehicle (HEV), or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), amotorcycle, a watercraft, a snowmobile, an agricultural machine, or aconstruction machine.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the energy storage apparatus 10 includes aplurality of (twelve in the present embodiment) energy storage devices100, a plurality of spacers 200 and 300 (in the present embodiment,eleven spacers 200 and one pair of spacers 300), a pair of end members400, a pair of insulators 600, a pair of side plates 700, a bus bar 800,and a bus bar holding member 900. A joining member 510 is disposedbetween the energy storage device 100 and the spacer 200, a joiningmember 520 is disposed between the energy storage device 100 and thespacer 300, and a joining member 530 is disposed between the spacer 300and the end member 400. A pair of external terminals 810 (a positiveelectrode external terminal and a negative electrode external terminal)that are terminals of the energy storage apparatus 10 are connected tothe bus bar 800. The energy storage apparatus 10 also includes a wiringfor voltage measurement of the energy storage device 100, a wiring fortemperature measurement, a thermistor, and the like, but these are notshown and detailed description thereof is also omitted. The energystorage apparatus 10 may also include a circuit board for monitoring thecharge state or discharge state of the energy storage device 100 or anelectric device such as a relay.

The energy storage device 100 is a secondary battery (battery cell)which is charged with electricity or can discharge electricity, and morespecifically, is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as alithium ion secondary battery. The energy storage device 100 has a flatrectangular parallelepiped shape (square shape) and is arranged adjacentto the spacers 200 and 300. That is, each of the plurality of energystorage devices 100 is alternately arranged with each of the pluralityof spacers 200 and 300, and is arranged in the Y-axis direction. In thepresent embodiment, the eleven spacers 200 are arranged between theadjacent energy storage devices 100 among the twelve energy storagedevices 100, respectively. The pair of spacers 300 are arranged atpositions sandwiching the energy storage devices 100 at the end portionsamong the twelve energy storage devices 100.

The number of energy storage devices 100 is not limited to twelve andmay be a number other than twelve. The shape of energy storage device100 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be apolygonal prism shape other than a rectangular parallelepiped shape, ormay be a laminate-type energy storage device. The energy storage device100 is not limited to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery andmay be a secondary battery other than the non-aqueous electrolytesecondary battery or may be a capacitor. The energy storage device 100may be a primary battery that can use the electricity which is storedwithout the user having to charge the battery instead of the secondarybattery. The energy storage device 100 may be a battery using a solidelectrolyte. The detailed description of a configuration of the energystorage device 100 is given later.

The spacers 200 and 300 are rectangular and plate-shaped spacersarranged lateral to (in the Y-axis plus direction or Y-axis minusdirection) the energy storage device 100 for insulating the energystorage device 100 from other members. Specifically, the spacer 200 isan intermediate spacer disposed between the two adjacent energy storagedevices 100 for insulating between the two energy storage devices 100.More specifically, the joining members 510 are arranged on both sides ofthe spacer 200 in the Y-axis direction, and the joining members 510 jointhe spacer 200 and the energy storage devices 100 on both sides in theY-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the eleven spacers 200 arearranged corresponding to the twelve energy storage devices 100.However, when the number of energy storage devices 100 is other thantwelve, the number of spacers 200 is also changed according to thenumber of energy storage devices 100.

The spacer 300 is an end spacer that is disposed between the energystorage device 100 at the end portion and the end member 400 forinsulating between the energy storage device 100 at the end portion andthe end member 400. Specifically the joining member 520 is disposed onthe energy storage device 100 side of the spacer 300, and the spacer 300and the energy storage device 100 are joined by the joining member 520.The joining member 530 is disposed on the end member 400 side of thespacer 300, and the spacer 300 and the end member 400 are joined by thejoining member 530. The detailed description of a configuration of thesespacers 200 and 300 will be given later.

The end member 400 and the side plate 700 are members that press theenergy storage device 100 from the outside in an arrangement direction(Y-axis direction) of the plurality of energy storage devices 100. Thatis, the end member 400 and the side plate 700 sandwich the plurality ofenergy storage devices 100 from both sides in the arrangement direction,thereby pressing the respective energy storage devices 100 included inthe plurality of energy storage devices 100 from both sides in thearrangement direction.

Specifically the end members 400 are flat block-shaped end plates(holding members) arranged on both sides of the plurality of energystorage devices 100 in the Y-axis direction for sandwiching and holdingthe plurality of energy storage devices 100 from both sides in thearrangement direction (Y-axis direction) of the plurality of energystorage devices 100. The end member 400 is formed of a metal(conductive) member such as steel or stainless steel from the viewpointof strength. The material of the end member 400 is not particularlylimited, and may be formed of a high-strength insulating member or maybe subjected to an insulating treatment. The end member 400 is anexample of a lateral member disposed lateral to the energy storagedevice 100.

The side plate 700 is a long and flat plate-shaped restraining member(restraint bar) having both ends attached to the end members 400 forrestraining the plurality of energy storage devices 100. That is, theside plate 700 is disposed extending in the Y-axis direction so as tostraddle the plurality of energy storage devices 100 and the pluralityof spacers 200 and 300, for applying a restraining force in thearrangement direction of these (Y-axis direction) with respect to theplurality of energy storage devices 100 and the plurality of spacers 200and 300. In the present embodiment, on both sides of the plurality ofenergy storage devices 100 in the X-axis direction, two side plates 700are arranged at positions sandwiching the insulators 600 with the energystorage devices 100 (specifically, case second surfaces 111 a describedlater). Each of the two side plates 700 is attached to the end portionsof the two end members 400 in the X-axis direction at both ends in theY-axis direction. Accordingly, the two side plates 700 sandwich andrestrain the plurality of energy storage devices 100 and the pluralityof spacers 200 and 300 from both sides in the X-axis direction and bothsides in the Y-axis direction.

The side plate 700 is fixed to the end member 400 by a plurality offixing members 701 arranged in the Z-axis direction. In the presentembodiment, the fixing member 701 is a bolt that penetrates the sideplate 700 and is joined to the end member 400. The attachment of theside plate 700 to the end member 400 is not limited to fixing with thebolt, and may be joint by welding, adhesion, or the like. Like the endmember 400, the side plate 700 is a conductive member formed of a metal(conductive) member such as steel or stainless steel from the viewpointof strength, but may be formed of a high-strength insulating member, ormay be subjected to an insulating treatment. The side plate 700 is anexample of a conductive member that sandwiches an insulating member withthe energy storage device 100, or an outer portion that is disposedoutside a pressing member that presses the energy storage device 100.The detailed description of a configuration of the side plate 700 willbe given later.

The insulator 600 is a long and flat plate-shaped insulating member thatis disposed on both sides of the plurality of energy storage devices 100in the X-axis direction and extended in the Y-axis direction. That is,the insulator 600 is disposed between the plurality of energy storagedevices 100 and the plurality of spacers 200 and 300 and the side plate700 so as to straddle the plurality of energy storage devices 100 andthe plurality of spacers 200 and 300, and insulates the energy storagedevices 100 from the side plate 700. The insulator 600 is formed of aninsulating material, such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP),polyethylene (PE), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyether ether ketone (PEEK),tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether (PFA),polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyether sulfone (PES), ABS resin, ceramics, and composite materialsthereof. The insulator 600 may be formed of any material as long as itis an insulating member, and the two insulators 600 may be formed ofmembers of different materials.

The insulator 600 also has a function of pressing the plurality ofenergy storage devices 100 in the Z-axis minus direction. That is, theplurality of energy storage devices 100 have a configuration in whichthey are placed on a cooling device 20 (see FIG. 10 ) and cooled, andthe insulator 600 presses the plurality of energy storage devices 100toward the cooling device 20. The cooling device 20 is a device thatcools the energy storage apparatus 10 (the plurality of energy storagedevices 100) by water cooling, for example. The energy storage apparatus10 has a configuration in which the energy storage apparatus 10 ismounted not on the cooling device 20 but on the vehicle body of theautomobile on which the energy storage apparatus 10 is mounted, or on anouter case or the like that houses the energy storage apparatus 10. Theinsulator 600 may be configured to press the plurality of energy storagedevices 100 toward the vehicle body, the outer case, or the like. Theinsulator 600 is an example of an inside part disposed in the inside ofa first insulating member disposed on the X-axis direction side of theenergy storage device 100, an abutting member that abuts on the energystorage device 100, or the pressing member that presses the energystorage device 100. The detailed description of a configuration of theinsulator 600 will be given later.

The bus bar 800 is a conductive plate-shaped member that is disposed onthe plurality of energy storage devices 100 for electrically connectingthe electrode terminals of the plurality of energy storage devices 100.In the present embodiment, the bus bar 800 connects the plurality ofenergy storage devices 100 in series by connecting positive electrodeterminals and negative electrode terminals of the adjacent energystorage devices 100 in order. The external terminals 810 for thepositive and negative electrodes are connected to the bus bar 800disposed at the end portions. The bus bar 800 is formed of a conductivemember made of metal such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminumalloy. The connection mode of the energy storage device 100 is notparticularly limited, and any of the energy storage devices 100 may beconnected in parallel.

The bus bar holding member 900 is a plate-shaped member (busbar plate,busbar frame) that holds the bus bar 800 and other wirings (not shown),and can insulate the bus bar 800 and the like from the other members andregulate the position of the bus bar 800 and the like. Specifically thebus bar holding member 900 has a main body portion and a lid portion,and is configured capable of housing the bus bar 800 and the like byopening the lid portion and placing the bus bar 800 and the like on themain body portion, and then closing the lid portion. The bus bar holdingmember 900 is formed of an insulating material such as PC, PP, PE, PPS,PET, PEEK, PFA, PTFE, PBT, PES, ABS resin, ceramics, and compositematerials thereof.

[2 Detailed Description of Energy Storage Device 100]

Next, the configuration of the energy storage device 100 is described indetail. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of theenergy storage device 100 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the energy storage device 100 includes a case 110,two electrode terminals 120 (a positive electrode terminal and anegative electrode terminal), two gaskets 121, and an insulating sheet130. Inside the case 110, an electrode assembly a current collector (apositive electrode current collector and a negative electrode currentcollector), an electrolytic solution (non-aqueous electrolyte), and thelike are housed, but they are not shown. The electrolytic solution isnot particularly limited in type as long as it does not impair theperformance of the energy storage device 100, and various electrolyticsolutions can be selected. The gasket is also disposed between the case110 (lid body 112 described later) and the current collector, andspacers are arranged at the sides of the current collector, but theseare not shown.

The case 110 is a rectangular parallelepiped (square) case having a casemain body 111 having an opening formed therein and a lid body 112closing the opening of the case main body 111. The lid body 112 is arectangular plate-shaped member that constitutes a lid portion of thecase 110, and is disposed on the Z-axis plus direction side of the casemain body 111. The lid body 112 has a case first surface 112 a on whichthe electrode terminals 120 are arranged. The case first surface 112 ais a rectangular flat surface (outer surface or upper surface) disposedon the Z-axis plus direction side of the lid body 112 and extending inthe X-axis direction. The lid body 112 is also provided with a gasrelease valve 113 that, when a pressure inside the case 110 rises,releases the pressure, a liquid injection part 114 for injecting anelectrolytic solution into the inside of the case 110, and the like.

The case main body 111 is a bottomed member constituting a main bodyportion of the case 110 and having a rectangular tubular shape, has twocase second surfaces 111 a on both side surfaces in the X-axisdirection, has a case third surface 111 b on the Z-axis minus directionside, and has two case fourth surfaces 111 c on both side surfaces inthe Y-axis direction. The case second surface 111 a is a rectangularflat surface that forms a short side surface of the case 110. In otherwords, the case second surface 111 a is a surface adjacent to the casefirst surface 112 a, the case third surface 111 b, and the case fourthsurface 111 c and having a smaller area than the case fourth surface 111c. The case third surface 111 b is a rectangular flat surface that formsthe bottom surface of the case 110. In other words, the case thirdsurface 111 b is a surface facing the case first surface 112 a andadjacent to the case second surface 111 a and the case fourth surface111 c. The case fourth surface 111 c is a rectangular flat surface thatforms a long side surface of the case 110. In other words, the casefourth surface 111 c is a surface adjacent to the case first surface 112a, the case second surface 111 a, and the case third surface 111 b, andhaving a larger area than the case second surface 111 a. The case mainbody 111 has a curved case corner portion 111 d at a boundary portionbetween the case second surface 111 a and the case fourth surface 111 c.

With such a configuration, the case 110 is configured such that afterthe electrode assembly and the like are housed inside the case main body111, the case main body 111 and the lid body 112 are joined by weldingor the like to form a joint 115, and thereby the inside is sealed. Thatis, on the side surfaces of the case 110 (the surfaces on both sides inthe X-axis direction and both sides in the Y-axis direction), the joints115, in which the case main body 111 and the lid body 112 are joined,are formed. The material of the case 110 (the case main body 111 and thelid body 112) is not particularly limited, but is preferably a weldable(joinable) metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy,iron, and plated steel plate.

The electrode terminals 120 are terminals (a positive electrode terminaland a negative electrode terminal) of the energy storage device 100disposed on the case first surface 112 a of the case 110, and areelectrically connected to the positive electrode plate and the negativeelectrode plate of the electrode assembly through the current collector,respectively. That is, the electrode terminal 120 is a metal member forleading the electricity stored in the electrode assembly to the externalspace of the energy storage device 100, and for introducing theelectricity into the internal space of the energy storage device 100 tostore the electricity in the electrode assembly. The electrode terminal120 is formed of aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, copper alloy, or thelike.

The gasket 121 is a member disposed around the electrode terminal 120and between the electrode terminal 120 and the lid body 112 of the case110 for ensuring insulation and airtightness between the electrodeterminal 120 and the case 110. The gasket 121 is formed of an insulatingmaterial such as PP, PE, PPS, PET, PEEK, PFA, PTFE, PBT, PES, and ABSresin.

The electrode terminal 120 and the gasket 121 are convex portionsprotruding from the case first surface 112 a of the case 110. That is,the electrode terminal 120 or the gasket 121 is an example of a convexportion of the energy storage device 100, and the energy storage device100 has the two convex portions on both sides of the case first surface112 a in the X-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the energystorage device 100 has the gasket 121 as the convex portion.

The electrode assembly is an energy storage element (power generatingelement) formed by stacking a positive electrode plate, a negativeelectrode plate, and a separator. The positive electrode plate includedin the electrode assembly has a positive active material layer formed ona positive electrode substrate layer, which is a long strip-shapedcurrent collector foil made of a metal such as aluminum or an aluminumalloy. The negative electrode plate has a negative active material layerformed on a negative electrode substrate layer which is a longstrip-shaped current collector foil made of a metal such as copper or acopper alloy. As the positive active material used for the positiveactive material layer and the negative active material used for thenegative active material layer, known materials can be appropriatelyused as long as they can store and release lithium ions. The currentcollector is a member (a positive electrode current collector and anegative electrode current collector) having electrical conductivity andrigidity, which is electrically connected to the electrode terminal 120and the electrode assembly. The positive electrode current collector isformed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy as in the positive electrodesubstrate layer of the positive electrode plate, and the negativeelectrode current collector is formed of copper or a copper alloy as inthe negative electrode substrate layer of the negative electrode plate.

The insulating sheet 130 is an insulating sheet-like member that isdisposed on the outer surface of the case 110 and covers the outersurface of the case 110. As the material of the insulating sheet 130, itis not particularly limited as long as it can ensure the insulationrequired for the energy storage device 100, but an insulating resin suchas PC, PP, PE, PPS, PET, PBT or ABS resin, an epoxy resin, Kapton,Teflon (registered trademark), silicone, polyisoprene, polyvinylchloride and the like can be exemplified.

Specifically, the insulating sheet 130 is one insulating sheet disposedso as to cover the entire surface of the case third surface 111 b of thecase 110, almost the entire surface of the case second surface 111 a andthe case fourth surface 111 c, and a part of the case first surface 112a. In this way, the insulating sheet 130 is disposed on the outersurface of the case 110 with the gas release valve 113 of the lid body112, the liquid injection part 114, and the electrode terminals 120exposed. The insulating sheet 130 is an example of a second insulatingmember that covers the case third surface 111 b.

[3 Detailed Description of Spacer 200]

Next, the configuration of the spacer 200 is described in detail. FIG. 4is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing theconfiguration of the spacer 200 according to the present embodiment.Specifically, FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view showing the spacer 200 ina disassembled state and each component together with the joining member510. FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration ofthe upper portion (a portion on the Z-axis plus direction side) when asecond member 210 of the spacer 200 of FIG. 4(a) is cut along anIVbc-IVbc line. FIG. 4(c) is a cross-sectional view showing theconfiguration of the lower portion (a portion on the Z-axis minusdirection side). In FIGS. 4(b) and 4(c), components other than thesecond member 210 are also indicated by broken lines for convenience ofdescription.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the spacer 200 includes a first member 201 and thesecond member 210. The first member 201 is a member disposed at aposition where it abuts on the case fourth surface 111 c, which is theside surface (a side surface on the Y-axis direction side) of the energystorage device 100 facing in the Y-axis direction, and includes a firstplate portion 220, a second plate portion 230, and a joining member 240that joins the first plate portion 220 and the second plate portion 230.The second member 210 is a member that is disposed on a side of thefirst member 201 in a direction intersecting the Y-axis direction andsupports the end portion of the first member 201 in a directionintersecting the Y-axis direction. Specifically it is configured suchthat at the central position of the second member 210, an opening 212,which is a rectangular through hole penetrating in the Y-axis direction,is formed, and the first member 201 is disposed in the opening 212, andthus, the second member 210 supports the periphery of the first member201.

More specifically as shown in FIG. 10 described later, the second member210 includes a main body portion 211, a first protrusion 213, a secondprotrusion 214, and a third protrusion 215. The main body portion 211 isa rectangular ring-shaped and plate-shaped portion in which theabove-described opening 212 is formed at the central position. The mainbody portion 211 is provided with a spacer first surface 211 a, a jointprotrusion 211 b, a first concave portion 211 c, a sandwiching part 211d, a second concave portion 211 e, and a spacer second surface 211 f.

The spacer first surface 211 a is an annular flat surface that isdisposed on the Y-axis minus direction side of the main body portion 211and around the opening 212, and the joining member 510 on the Y-axisminus direction side is disposed thereon. That is, four rectangularjoining members 510 are arranged on the spacer first surface 211 a, andthe spacer 200 and the energy storage device 100 on the Y-axis minusdirection side are joined together. The spacer second surface 211 f isan annular flat surface disposed on the opposite side of the spacerfirst surface 211 a (Y-axis plus direction side) and around the opening212, and the joining member 510 on the Y-axis plus direction side isdisposed thereon. That is, four rectangular joining members 510 arearranged on the spacer second surface 211 f, and the spacer 200 and theenergy storage device 100 on the Y-axis plus direction side are joinedtogether.

The joining member 510 is a member that is disposed between the energystorage device 100 and the spacer 200 and joins the energy storagedevice 100 and the spacer 200, and is an adhesive layer such as adouble-sided tape in the present embodiment. The joining member is notlimited to the double-sided tape, and may be an adhesive layer such asan adhesive, and a welded portion when joined by welding, a weldedportion when joined by welding, mechanically joined portion by caulking,fitting, or the like, or another joined portion.

The joint protrusion 211 b is a protruding portion that is long in theX-axis direction and is disposed so as to protrude from the spacer firstsurface 211 a and the spacer second surface 211 f to both sides in theY-axis direction, and is disposed so as to face the joints 115 of thecases 110 of the energy storage devices 100 on both sides in the Y-axisdirection. Specifically, the joint protrusion 211 b is disposed at aposition where it abuts on the joint 115 of the case 110 of the energystorage device 100 when the energy storage device 100 is disposedadjacent to the spacer 200. That is, the joint protrusion 211 b abuts onthe joint 115 at the time of manufacturing the energy storage apparatus10, or abuts on the joint 115 when the case 110 of the energy storagedevice 100 swells while the energy storage apparatus 10 is in use.

The first concave portion 211 c is an annular concave portion formedalong the periphery of the opening 212 and recessed in the Y-axis plusdirection. That is, the second member 210 has the first concave portion211 c at the end portion along the opening 212, and the first member 201engages with the first concave portion 211 c in the Y-axis direction.Specifically, the first concave portion 211 c engages with the engagingpart 221 disposed at the end portion of the first plate portion 220 ofthe first member 201, so that the first member 201 is disposed withrespect to the second member 210. A configuration may be adopted inwhich the first member 201 has a first concave portion, and the secondmember 210 has an engaging part that engages with the first concaveportion. That is, one of the first member 201 and the second member 210may have the first concave portion at the end portion, and the other mayhave the engaging part 221 that engages with the first concave portionin the Y-axis direction.

The sandwiching part 211 d is a protrusion that protrudes from the innerwall of the first concave portion 211 c toward the inside of the opening212, and has a function of sandwiching the first member 201. In thepresent embodiment, a total of eight sandwiching parts 211 d areprovided on both sides in the X-axis direction and both sides in theZ-axis direction of the first member 201. That is, two pairs ofsandwiching parts 211 d sandwich the first member 201 in the X-axisdirection, and two pairs of sandwiching parts 211 d sandwich the firstmember 201 also in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, the sandwichingpart 211 d sandwiches the first member 201 in the X-axis direction andthe Z-axis direction by engaging with the end surfaces on both sides inthe X-axis direction and both sides in the Z-axis direction of the firstmember 201. The shape, number, and arrangement positions of thesandwiching parts 211 d are not limited to the above.

The second concave portions 211 e are concave portions recessed in theY-axis direction from the spacer first surface 211 a and the spacersecond surface 211 f, are arranged lateral to the first member 201, andare formed in a long shape along the periphery of the first member 201.Specifically the second concave portions 211 e are arranged at positionsadjacent to the sandwiching parts 211 d in the spacer first surface 211a, and are arranged inside (on the first member 201 side) of the secondconcave portion 211 e formed in the spacer first surface 211 a in thespacer second surface 211 f. The shape, number and arrangement positionsof the second concave portions 211 e are not limited to the above.Instead of the second concave portion 211 e, a through hole penetratingthe main body portion 211 in the Y-axis direction may be formed.

With such a configuration, the sandwiching parts 211 d and the secondconcave portions 211 e are arranged within the range from the spacerfirst surface 211 a to the spacer second surface 211 f in the Y-axisdirection. That is, the sandwiching parts 211 d and the second concaveportions 211 e are formed without a shape protruding from the spacerfirst surface 211 a in the Y-axis minus direction, and without a shapeprotruding from the spacer second surface 211 f in the Y-axis plusdirection. In other words, the spacer first surface 211 a and the spacersecond surface 211 f are recessed or formed in the same plane asadjacent surfaces at positions overlapping the sandwiching parts 211 dwhen viewed in the Y-axis direction. Similarly, the spacer first surface211 a and the spacer second surface 211 f are recessed or formed in thesame plane as adjacent surfaces at positions overlapping the secondconcave portions 211 e when viewed in the Y-axis direction.

The first protrusion 213 is a long-shaped protruding portion thatprotrudes toward both sides in the Y-axis direction from the end portionof the main body portion 211 on the Z-axis plus direction side. In thepresent embodiment, two pairs of first protrusions 213 are arranged sideby side in the X-axis direction. The first protrusion 213 is disposed soas to face a convex portion (gasket 121 in the present embodiment) ofthe energy storage device 100 on the X-axis direction side and protrudealong the convex portion. The detailed description of this will be givenlater.

The second protrusions 214 are protruding portions that protrude fromportions on both sides in the X-axis direction and on the Z-axis plusdirection side of the main body portion 211 to both sides in the X-axisdirection. The second protrusion 214 has a concave-convex portion havingat least one of a concave portion and a convex portion formed at the endportion in the X-axis direction. Specifically the concave-convex portionhas a convex portion 214 a protruding in the Y-axis plus direction, anda concave portion 214 b formed on the back side of the convex portion214 a and recessed in the surface of the end portion of the secondprotrusion 214 (see FIG. 8 ). The detailed description of this will begiven later.

The third protrusion 215 is a protruding portion that protrudes from theend portion of the main body portion 211 on the Z-axis minus directionside to the Z-axis minus direction side, which is the direction towardthe bottom surface (case third surface 111 b) side of the energy storagedevice 100. The third protrusions 215 are arranged at both end portionsof the main body portion 211 in the X-axis direction, and are placed onthe insulator 600. The detailed description of this will be given later.

The second member 210 is formed of an insulating material such as PC,PP, PE, PPS, PET, PEEK, PFA, PTFE, PBT, PES, ABS resin, and a compositematerial thereof. The second member 210 may be formed of any material aslong as it has an insulating property and all the second members 210 ofthe plurality of spacers 200 may be formed of members made of the samematerial, or any of the second members 210 may be formed of members madeof different materials.

The first member 201 is formed of a member having higher heat resistancethan the second member 210. Preferably the first member 201 is formed ofa member having higher hardness than the second member 210. Morepreferably the first member 201 is formed of a member having higher heatinsulating property than the second member 210. As the first plateportion 220 and the second plate portion 230 constituting the firstmember 201 and having high heat resistance and the like, mica platesformed by a dammar material constituted by accumulating and bonding micapieces (thermal decomposition temperature is, for example, about 600° C.to 800° C.) and the like can be cited. The first plate portion 220 andthe second plate portion 230 may be formed of any material as long as itis a member having high heat resistance and the like, and the firstplate portion 220 and the second plate portion 230 may be formed ofdifferent materials. Since the material and the like of the joiningmember 240 are the same as the material and the like of the joiningmember 510, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

High heat resistance means that it is not easily affected even whenexposed to high temperatures, and can maintain physical properties (ormaintain shape), and means that it has, for example, a high glasstransition temperature, a high deflection temperature under load (heatdistortion temperature), or a high melting point. When the glasstransition temperature, the deflection temperature under load (heatdistortion temperature), and the melting point are compared for twomembers, and if there are numerical values that are reversed, the memberwith higher melting point is defined as the member with higher heatresistance. High hardness means that it is hard and difficult to bedeformed, for example, it has high Vickers hardness. High heatinsulating property means that it is difficult to transfer heat, andmeans that it has, for example, a low thermal conductivity. Thecomparison of these heat resistance and the like (heat resistance,hardness and heat insulating property) can be made by appropriatelymeasuring by a known method.

In the above-described embodiment, the first plate portion 220 and thesecond plate portion 230 are all formed of a member having high heatresistance and the like, but a part thereof may be formed of a memberhaving high heat resistance and the like. The first plate portion 220and the second plate portion 230 may form a member having high heatresistance and the like by a configuration in which a member (paint orthe like) having high heat resistance and the like is disposed (applied)on the surface of a resin substrate.

Specifically the first plate portion 220 and the second plate portion230 are, when the energy storage device 100 is disposed adjacent to thespacer 200, rectangular and flat-plate members arranged at positionsabutting on the case fourth surface 111 c of the energy storage device100. That is, the first plate portion 220 and the second plate portion230 abut on the case fourth surface 111 c at the time of manufacturingthe energy storage apparatus 10, or abut on the case fourth surface 111c when the case 110 of the energy storage device 100 swells while theenergy storage apparatus 10 is in use. The first plate portion 220 isformed to have larger widths in the X-axis direction and the Z-axisdirection and a larger thickness in the Y-axis direction than the secondplate portion 230.

More specifically the first plate portion 220 is disposed so as toprotrude from the spacer first surface 211 a toward the energy storagedevice 100 on the Y-axis minus direction side, and face the centralportion of the energy storage device 100 on the Y-axis minus directionside. The second plate portion 230 is disposed on the opposite side(Y-axis plus direction side) of the first plate portion 220. That is,the second plate portion 230 is disposed so as to protrude from thespacer second surface 211 f toward the energy storage device 100 on theY-axis plus direction side and face the central portion of the energystorage device 100 on the Y-axis plus direction side. The first plateportion 220 is disposed so as to protrude to the Y-axis minus directionside relative to the joint protrusion 211 b on the Y-axis minusdirection side, and the second plate portion 230 is disposed so as to berecessed in the Y-axis minus direction relative to the joint protrusion211 b on the Y-axis plus direction side. As described above, the firstmember 201 is formed to have substantially the same thickness as athickness of the main body portion 211 of the second member 210, or havea larger thickness than the thickness of the main body portion 211.

The first plate portion 220 is an example of a central protrudingportion, and the central protruding portion (first plate portion 220)and the joint protrusion 211 b on the Y-axis minus direction side are anexample of a first protruding portion. The second plate portion 230 isalso an example of a central protruding portion, and the centralprotruding portion (second plate portion 230) and the joint protrusion211 b on the Y-axis plus direction side are an example of a secondprotruding portion. Therefore, the central protruding portion preferablyhas higher heat resistance and higher hardness than the second member210, and more preferably has higher heat insulating property. In otherwords, each of the first protruding portion and the second protrudingportion has a portion having higher heat resistance than the portionhaving the spacer first surface 211 a and the spacer second surface 211f of the spacer 200, also preferably has a portion having high hardness,and more preferably has a portion having high heat insulating property.

[4 Detailed Description of Spacer 300]

Next, the configuration of the spacer 300 is described in detail. FIG. 5is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing theconfiguration of the spacer 300 according to the present embodiment.Specifically FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view showing the spacer 300 onthe Y-axis plus direction side in FIG. 2 together with the joiningmembers 520 and 530. FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view showing theconfiguration of the upper portion (a portion on the Z-axis plusdirection side) when the spacer 300 of FIG. 5(a) is cut along a lineVbc-Vbc, and FIG. 5(c) is a cross-sectional view showing theconfiguration of the lower portion (a portion on the Z-axis minusdirection side). In FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c), the joining members 520 and 530are also indicated by broken lines for convenience of description. Thespacer 300 on the Y-axis minus direction side in FIG. 2 also has thesame configuration.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the spacer 300 includes a main body portion 310, afirst protrusion 320, a second protrusion 330, and a third protrusion340. The main body portion 310 is a rectangular and plate-shapedportion, and is provided with a spacer first surface 311, a firstprotruding portion 312 having a central protruding portion 312 a and ajoint protrusion 312 b, and a spacer second surface 313. The spacer 300is formed of the same material as the second member 210 of the spacer200.

The spacer first surface 311 is an annular flat surface that is disposedon the Y-axis minus direction side of the main body portion 310 andaround the central protruding portion 312 a, and the joining member 520is disposed thereon. That is, four rectangular joining members 520 arearranged on the spacer first surface 311 to join the spacer 300 and theenergy storage device 100 on the Y-axis minus direction side. The spacersecond surface 313 is a rectangular flat surface disposed on theopposite side (Y-axis plus direction side) of the central protrudingportion 312 a, and the joining member 530 is disposed thereon. That is,the rectangular joining member 530 is disposed on the spacer secondsurface 313 to join the spacer 200 and the energy storage device 100 onthe Y-axis plus direction side.

The joining member 520 is a member that is disposed between the energystorage device 100 and the spacer 300 to join the energy storage device100 and the spacer 300, and the joining member 530 is a member that isdisposed between the end member 400 and the spacer 300 to join the endmember 400 and the spacer 300. Since the materials and the like of thejoining members 520 and 530 are the same as the materials and the likeof the joining member 510, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The central protruding portion 312 a of the first protruding portion 312is a portion disposed so as to protrude from the spacer first surface311 toward the energy storage device 100 on the Y-axis minus directionside, and face the central portion of the energy storage device 100 onthe Y-axis minus direction side. The joint protrusion 312 b is aprotruding portion that is long in the X-axis direction and is disposedso as to protrude from the spacer first surface 311 to the Y-axis minusdirection side, and is disposed so as to face the joint 115 of the case110 of the energy storage device 100 on the Y-axis minus direction side.Specifically, the central protruding portion 312 a and the jointprotrusion 312 b, when the energy storage device 100 is disposedadjacent to the spacer 300, are arranged at positions abutting on thecase fourth surface 111 c and the joint 115 of the case 110 of theenergy storage device 100. That is, the central protruding portion 312 aand the joint protrusion 312 b abut on the case fourth surface 111 c andthe joint 115 at the time of manufacturing the energy storage apparatus10, or abut on the case fourth surface 111 c and the joint 115 when thecase 110 of the energy storage device 100 swells while the energystorage apparatus 10 is in use. The joint protrusion 312 b protrudes inthe Y-axis minus direction to the same position as the centralprotruding portion 312 a.

The first protrusion 320 is a long-shaped protruding portion thatprotrudes from the end portion of the main body portion 310 on theZ-axis plus direction side to the Y-axis minus direction side. Since thefirst protrusion 320 has the same configuration as the first protrusion213 of the spacer 200, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The second protrusions 330 are protruding portions that protrude fromportions on both sides in the X-axis direction and on the Z-axis plusdirection side of the main body portion 310 to both sides in the X-axisdirection. The second protrusion 330 has a concave-convex portion havingat least one of a concave portion and a convex portion formed at the endportion in the X-axis direction. Specifically the concave-convex portionhas concave portions 331 and 332 recessed in the surfaces at the endportions of the second protrusion 330 (see FIG. 8 ). The detaileddescription of this will be given later.

The third protrusion 340 is a protruding portion that protrudes from theend portion of the main body portion 310 on the Z-axis minus directionside to the Z-axis minus direction side, which is the direction to thebottom surface (case third surface 111 b) side of the energy storagedevice 100. The third protrusion 340 has the same configuration as thethird protrusion 215 of the spacer 200, and thus detailed descriptionthereof will be omitted.

[5 Detailed Description of Insulator 600]

Next, the configuration of the insulator 600 will be described indetail. FIG. 6 is a perspective view and a plan view showing theconfiguration of the insulator 600 according to the present embodiment.Specifically, FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view showing the insulator 600on the X-axis plus direction side in FIG. 2 , and FIG. 6(b) is aperspective view showing the configuration of the insulator 600 of FIG.6(a) when viewed from the back side. FIG. 6(c) is an enlargedperspective view showing a portion encircled by a broken line in FIG.6(a) in an enlarged manner. FIG. 6(d) is a plan view showing theconfiguration of the insulator 600 of FIG. 6(b) when the end portion ofthe insulator 600 on the Y-axis minus direction side and on the Z-axisplus direction side is seen from the X-axis minus direction side in anenlarged manner. The insulator 600 on the X-axis minus direction side inFIG. 2 also has the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the insulator 600 includes an insulator main bodyportion 610, an insulator first wall portion 620, and an insulatorsecond wall portion 630. The insulator main body portion 610 is arectangular and plate-shaped portion that is disposed on the X-axis plusdirection side of the energy storage device 100 and that extends in theY-axis direction and is parallel to the YZ plane. The insulator firstwall portion 620 is a long and plate-shaped portion that protrudes fromthe end portion of the insulator main body portion 610 on the Z-axisplus direction side to the X-axis minus direction side and is extendedin the Y-axis direction, and is disposed on the Z-axis plus directionside of the energy storage device 100. The insulator second wall portion630 is a long and plate-shaped portion that protrudes from the endportion of the insulator main body portion 610 on the Z-axis minusdirection side to the X-axis minus direction side and is extended in theY-axis direction, and is disposed on the Z-axis minus direction side ofthe energy storage device 100.

Specifically the insulator main body portion 610 has a facing portion611 and an extending portion 612. The facing portion 611 is arectangular and plate-shaped portion that is disposed on the X-axisdirection side of the case second surface 111 a so as to face the casesecond surface 111 a of the energy storage device 100 and that extendsin the Y-axis direction and is parallel to the YZ plane. The extendingportion 612 is a portion disposed so as to extend in the Y-axisdirection from a portion of the facing portion 611 on the electrodeterminal 120 side (Z-axis plus direction side) relative to a portion onthe opposite side (Z-axis minus direction side) of the electrodeterminal 120 of the facing portion 611. In other words, the insulatormain body portion 610 has a shape in which portions on the Z-axis plusdirection side of the end portions on both sides in the Y-axis directionprotrude to both sides in the Y-axis direction.

The extending portion 612 has a concave portion 613 and a rib 614. Theconcave portion 613 is a notch-shaped concave portion in which the outeredge of the extending portion 612 on the Z-axis minus direction side isrecessed in the Z-axis minus direction. The rib 614 is a protrudingportion that protrudes from the surface of the extending portion 612,and is disposed so as to surround the concave portion 613. Specifically,the rib 614 has a first rib 614 a extending in the Z-axis direction anda second rib 614 b extending in the Y-axis direction along the peripheryof the concave portion 613. In the present embodiment, the rib 614protrudes outward from the outer surface of the extending portion 612,but it may protrude inward from the inner surface of the extendingportion 612.

A third rib 615 is provided on the inner surface of the insulator mainbody portion 610. The third rib 615 is a protruding portion thatprotrudes inward from the inner surface of the end portion of the facingportion 611 on the Z-axis plus direction side, and is disposed so as toextend in the Z-axis direction. In the present embodiment, a pluralityof (eleven) third ribs 615 are arranged side by side at equal intervalsin the Y-axis direction.

The insulator first wall portion 620 has first pressing parts 621 andsecond pressing parts 622 which are a plurality of pressing parts. Theplurality of pressing parts (first pressing parts 621 and secondpressing parts 622) are arranged corresponding to each of the pluralityof energy storage devices 100, are portions that press each of theplurality of energy storage devices 100, and specifically are convexportions that protrude toward the corresponding energy storage devices100. Specifically, the insulator first wall portion 620 has at least twofirst pressing parts 621 and a second pressing part 622 as the pluralityof pressing parts. In the present embodiment, two first pressing parts621 are arranged corresponding to the energy storage devices 100 at bothend portions of the plurality of energy storage devices 100, and aplurality of (ten) second pressing parts 622 are arranged between thetwo first pressing parts 621.

Specifically, the first pressing parts 621 and the second pressing parts622 are convex portions in which the surface of the insulator first wallportion 620 on the Z-axis plus direction side is recessed and thesurface of the insulator first wall portion 620 on the Z-axis minusdirection side is swollen, and are arranged at equal intervals in theY-axis direction (alternately arranged with the third ribs 615). Thefirst pressing part 621 is formed so that a protruding height of theconvex portion is higher than that of the second pressing part 622. Thatis, a protruding height H1 of the first pressing part 621 is formed tobe larger than a protruding height H2 of the second pressing part 622(see FIG. 6(d)). As a result, the first pressing part 621 presses thecorresponding energy storage device 100 with a larger force than thesecond pressing part 622. The first pressing part 621 may abut on thecorresponding energy storage device 100, and the second pressing part622 may not abut on the corresponding energy storage device 100.

The insulator second wall portion 630 is a portion on which the energystorage device 100 and the spacers 200 and 300 are placed. The detaileddescription of this will be given later.

[6 Detailed Description of Side Plate 700]

Next, the configuration of the side plate 700 will be described indetail. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of theside plate 700 according to the present embodiment. Specifically, FIG.7(a) is a perspective view showing the side plate 700 on the X-axis plusdirection side in FIG. 2 , and FIG. 7(b) is a perspective view showingthe configuration of the side plate 700 of FIG. 7(a) when viewed fromthe back side. The side plate 700 on the X-axis minus direction side inFIG. 2 also has the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the side plate 700 includes a side plate main bodyportion 710, a side plate first wall portion 720, a side plate secondwall portion 730, and a side plate third wall portion 740.

The side plate main body portion 710 is a rectangular and plate-shapedportion that is disposed on the X-axis plus direction side of theinsulator main body portion 610 and that extends in the Y-axis directionand is parallel to the YZ plane. The side plate first wall portions 720are long and plate-shaped portions that protrude from the end portionson both sides of the side plate main body portion 710 in the Y-axisdirection to the X-axis minus direction side and are extended in theZ-axis direction, and are fixed to the end members 400. The side platesecond wall portion 730 is a long and plate-shaped portion thatprotrudes from the end portion of the side plate main body portion 710on the Z-axis plus direction side to the X-axis minus direction side andextends in the Y-axis direction, and is inserted and disposed in theinsulator first wall portion 620 (see FIG. 10(b)). The side plate thirdwall portion 740 is a long and plate-shaped portion that protrudes fromthe end portion of the side plate main body portion 710 on the Z-axisminus direction side to the X-axis minus direction side and extends inthe Y-axis direction, and is inserted and disposed in the insulatorsecond wall portion 630 (see FIG. 10(c)).

The side plate main body portion 710 has a concave portion 711 recessedin the outer edge on the Z-axis plus direction side and a concaveportion 712 recessed in the outer edge on the Z-axis minus directionside at both end portions in the Y-axis direction. That is, the concaveportion 711 is a notch-shaped concave portion in which the outer edge ofthe side plate main body portion 710 on the Z-axis plus direction sideis recessed in the Z-axis minus direction, and has a curved outer edgeshape. The concave portion 712 is a notch-shaped concave portion inwhich the outer edge of the side plate main body portion 710 on theZ-axis minus direction side is recessed in the Z-axis plus direction,and has a curved outer edge shape.

[7 Description of Positional Relationship of Each Component]

Next, the positional relationship among the energy storage device 100,the spacers 200 and 300, the end member 400, the insulator 600, and theside plate 700 will be described in detail. FIG. 8 is a plan view and across-sectional view showing the positional relationship among theenergy storage device 100, the spacers 200 and 300, the end member 400,the insulator 600, and the side plate 700 according to the presentembodiment. Specifically FIG. 8(a) is a plan view of the Y-axis minusdirection side of the above-described component when viewed from theZ-axis plus direction, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of aportion of each component of FIG. 8(a) on the X-axis minus directionside and on the Z-axis plus direction side. A portion of each componenton the X-axis plus direction side and a portion of each component on theX-axis minus direction side have the same configuration, and a portionof each component on the Y-axis plus direction side and a portion ofeach component on the Y-axis minus direction side have the sameconfiguration. The same applies to the following.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship among theenergy storage device 100, the spacers 200 and 300, the end member 400,the insulator 600, and the side plate 700 according to the presentembodiment. Specifically FIG. 9(a) is a perspective view showing aportion of the above component on the X-axis plus direction side and onthe Y-axis minus direction side, and FIG. 9(b) is a perspective viewshowing the configuration when the side plate 700 is removed from FIG.9(a).

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a positional relationshipamong the energy storage device 100, the spacer 200, the insulator 600,and the side plate 700 according to the present embodiment. SpecificallyFIG. 10(a) is a view of a cross section when the above-describedcomponent is cut along the XZ plane, as viewed from the Y-axis minusdirection. FIG. 10(b) is an enlarged view of a portion on the X-axisplus direction side and on the Z-axis plus direction side of FIG. 10(a),and FIG. 10(c) is an enlarged view of a portion on the X-axis plusdirection side and on the Z-axis minus direction side of FIG. 10(a).FIGS. 10(b) and 10(c) show the configuration when the spacer 200 isremoved from FIG. 10(a).

First, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the first protrusions 213 and 320 of thespacers 200 and 300 are arranged so as to protrude along the convexportion (the electrode terminal 120 or the gasket 121) of the energystorage device 100. In the present embodiment, the first protrusions 213and 320 are arranged so as to extend in a long shape along the gasket121. That is, the first protrusions 213 and 320 are protrusions thatface the X-axis direction side of the gasket 121 and protrude along thegasket 121. Specifically the two first protrusions 213 arranged in theX-axis direction are arranged between the two gaskets 121 included inone energy storage device 100 and along the two gaskets 121. The sameapplies to the first protrusion 320. The two first protrusions 213 orthe two first protrusions 320 may be arranged at positions sandwichingthe two gaskets 121 along the two gaskets 121.

More specifically the protrusion amount of the first protrusions 213 and320 is formed to be smaller than half the width of the case firstsurface 112 a of the energy storage device 100 in the Y-axis direction.As a result, the first protrusion 213 and the first protrusion 320,which are adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction, or the twofirst protrusions 213 are arranged so as to face each other and areseparated from each other. That is, when two spacers sandwiching theenergy storage device 100 are used as one spacer and the other spacer,and one spacer has one first protrusion and the other spacer has theother first protrusion, one first protrusion and the other firstprotrusion are arranged so as to face each other and are separated fromeach other.

As shown in FIG. 8(b), the spacers 200 and 300 are arranged at positionsthat do not protrude from the energy storage device 100 in the X-axisdirection. That is, the spacers 200 and 300 are arranged inside theenergy storage device 100 in the X-axis direction when viewed from theY-axis direction. In other words, the spacers 200 and 300 are formed sothat the width in the X-axis direction is smaller than that of theenergy storage device 100. Alternatively, it can be said that the spacer200 does not have a portion facing the case second surface 111 a.

The concave-convex portions formed on the second protrusions 214 and 330of the spacers 200 and 300 are arranged separated from the energystorage device 100. Specifically the concave-convex portion of thesecond protrusion 214 has a convex portion 214 a on the Y-axis plusdirection side and a concave portion 214 b on the Y-axis minus directionside of the convex portion 214 a, and the convex portion 214 a and theconcave portion 214 b are formed so as to be arranged separated from theenergy storage device 100. More specifically, the convex portion 214 ais disposed so as to protrude in the Y-axis plus direction along thecase corner portion 111 d of the energy storage device 100. That is, theconvex portion 214 a is formed so as to protrude in a curved shapetoward the case corner portion 111 d in a state of being separated fromthe case corner portion 111 d. The third rib 615 of the insulator 600 isdisposed at a position facing the spacer 200 and is inserted into theconcave portion 214 b in the X-axis direction.

Regarding the spacer 300, the concave-convex portion of the secondprotrusion 330 has a concave portion 331 on the Y-axis plus directionside and a concave portion 332 on the Y-axis minus direction side, andthe concave portions 331 and 332 are formed so as to be arrangedseparated from the energy storage device 100.

As shown in FIG. 9(a), the concave portion 711 of the side plate 700 hasa shape notched more largely than the concave portion 613 of theinsulator 600, and the insulator 600 is exposed from the concave portion711. That is, the concave portion 711 is a concave portion in which theouter edge of the side plate main body portion 710 on the Z-axis plusdirection side is recessed relative to the insulator 600.

Specifically, the concave portion 711 is formed to be largely recessedso that the rib 614 of the insulator 600 is exposed. That is, the rib614 is disposed in the concave portion 711. As a result, the first rib614 a is disposed on the extending direction side (the Y-axis minusdirection side in FIG. 9 ) of the extending portion 612 relative to theside plate 700. The second rib 614 b is disposed on the electrodeterminal 120 side (the Z-axis plus direction side in FIG. 9 ) relativeto the side plate 700.

Further, the concave portion 711 is disposed on the X-axis directionside (the X-axis plus direction side in FIG. 9 ) of the end member 400.Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the extending portion 612, the concaveportion 613, and the rib 614 of the insulator 600 are also arranged onthe X-axis direction side of the end member 400. Also as shown in FIG.8(b), the end member 400 includes a first corner portion 410 that is acorner portion on the energy storage device 100 side (the Y-axis plusdirection side) and a second corner portion 420 that is a corner portionon the opposite side (the Y-axis minus direction side) of the energystorage device 100. The first corner portion 410 has a larger radius ofcurvature at the outer edge than the second corner portion 420. That is,the first corner portion 410 has a larger rounded outer edge than thesecond corner portion 420. The concave portion 711 is formed such thatits outer edge has a larger radius of curvature than the first cornerportion 410. That is, the concave portion 711 has a curved outer edge,and the radius of curvature of the curved outer edge is formed to belarger than the radius of curvature of the outer edge of the firstcorner portion 410.

As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(c), an end edge of the main body portion211 of the spacer 200 on the Z-axis minus direction side is disposed ona side opposite to the Z-axis minus direction relative to a surface (thecase third surface 111 b) of the case 110 of the energy storage device100 on the Z-axis minus direction side. That is, the spacer 200 isdisposed so that the main body portion 211 does not protrude from theenergy storage device 100 to the Z-axis minus direction side. An endedge of the third protrusion 215 of the spacer 200 on the Z-axis minusdirection side is disposed on the same plane (on the same plane P ofFIGS. 10(a) and 10(c)) as the case third surface 111 b of the energystorage device 100. That is, the spacer 200 is disposed so that thethird protrusion 215 also does not protrude from the energy storagedevice 100 to the Z-axis minus direction side. In other words, the thirdprotrusion 215 has a shape that does not abut on the surface of theenergy storage device 100 on the Z-axis minus direction side.

With such a configuration, the surface (the case third surface 111 b) ofthe energy storage device 100 on the Z-axis minus direction side isdisposed so as to abut on the insulator second wall portion 630 of theinsulator 600. The third protrusion 215 of the spacer 200 is alsodisposed so as to abut on the insulator second wall portion 630. Thatis, since the case third surface 111 b and the end edge of the thirdprotrusion 215 on the Z-axis minus direction side are arranged on thesame plane P, they are placed on the insulator second wall portion 630.The insulator 600 is disposed abutting also on the surface (case secondsurface 111 a) of the energy storage device 100 on the X-axis directionside. The insulator second wall portion 630 is inserted with the sideplate third wall portion 740 and is fixed to the energy storage device100.

As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), the first pressing part 621 and thesecond pressing part 622 provided on the insulator first wall portion620 of the insulator 600 press the both end portions of the energystorage device 100 in the X-axis direction toward the Z-axis minusdirection. The insulator first wall portion 620 is inserted with theside plate second wall portion 730 and is fixed to the energy storagedevice 100. As a result, the energy storage device 100 is cooled withthe case third surface 111 b pressed to the cooling device 20. Since theplurality of energy storage devices 100 are pressed by one insulator 600and pressed onto the insulator second wall portion 630, the case thirdsurfaces 111 b of the plurality of energy storage devices 100 arearranged on the same plane P. As a result, the case third surfaces 111 bof the plurality of energy storage devices 100 are evenly pressed to thecooling device 20 to be cooled.

Although the spacer 200 has been described with reference to FIG. 10 ,the spacer 300 has also a similar configuration.

[8 Description of Effects]

As described above, according to the energy storage apparatus 10according to the present embodiment, the spacers 200 and 300 have thethird protrusions 215 and 340 having shapes that protrude in the firstdirection (the Z-axis minus direction) that is the direction from themain body portions 211 and 310 to the bottom surface side of the energystorage device 100, and do not abut on the surface of the energy storagedevice 100 that faces the first direction, and the end edges of the mainbody portions 211 and 310 in the first direction are arranged on theside opposite to the first direction relative to the surface of theenergy storage device 100 that faces the first direction, respectively.In this way, the spacers 200 and 300 are provided with the thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 having shapes that protrude in the firstdirection of the energy storage device 100 but do not abut on thesurface of the energy storage device 100 that faces the first direction,respectively. The main body portions 211 and 310 of the spacers 200 and300 are arranged by the third protrusions 215 and 340 at positions thatdo not protrude relative to the surface of the energy storage device 100that faces the first direction, respectively. Thus, the surface of theenergy storage device 100 that faces the first direction can be made toabut on the cooling device 20 without obstruction by the main bodyportions 211 and 310 and the third protrusions 215 and 340 of thespacers 200 and 300, respectively, so that the energy storage device 100can be easily cooled.

The energy storage apparatus 10 further includes the abutting member(insulator 600) that abuts on the surface of energy storage device 100that faces the first direction. In this way, by making the surface ofthe energy storage device 100 that faces the first direction abut on theabutting member, it is possible to position the surface of the energystorage device 100 that faces the first direction. When the energystorage apparatus 10 includes a plurality of energy storage devices 100,by making the surfaces of the plurality of energy storage devices 100that face the first direction abut on the abutting member, it ispossible to align the surfaces of the plurality of energy storagedevices 100 that face the first direction. Accordingly, the surfaces ofthe energy storage devices 100 that face the first direction can be madeto easily abut on the cooling device 20, so that the energy storagedevices 100 can be easily cooled.

The abutting member is disposed at a position abutting on the surface ofthe energy storage device 100 that faces the second direction (X-axisdirection) intersecting the first direction. In this way, the abuttingmember abuts also on the surface of the energy storage device 100 thatfaces the second direction, so that the energy storage device 100 can bepositioned also in the second direction. Thereby, the energy storagedevice 100 can be easily positioned with respect to the cooling device20 also in the second direction, so that the energy storage device 100can be easily cooled.

The third protrusions 215 and 340 of the spacers 200 and 300 arearranged at positions abutting on the abutting member. In this way, bymaking also the third protrusions 215 and 340 of the spacers 200 and 300abut on the abutting member on which the energy storage device 100abuts, it is possible to position also the spacers 200 and 300 by usinga member for positioning the energy storage device 100. Accordingly thespacers 200 and 300 can be easily positioned at positions that do notcause obstruction when the energy storage device 100 is made to abut onthe cooling device 20, so that the energy storage device 100 can beeasily cooled.

The end edges of the third protrusions 215 and 340 of the spacers 200and 300 in the first direction are arranged on the same plane as thesurface of the energy storage device 100 that faces the first direction.By thus arranging the end edges of the spacers 200 and 300 and thesurface of the energy storage device 100 on the same plane, it ispossible to align the end edges of the spacers 200 and 300 and thesurface of the energy storage device 100. Therefore, it is possible toeasily position the spacers 200 and 300 and the energy storage device100 simply by placing them on a flat member. Accordingly, it is possibleto easily position the energy storage device 100 with respect to thecooling device 20 while easily positioning the spacers 200 and 300 atpositions that do not cause obstruction, so that the energy storagedevice 100 can be easily cooled.

The third protrusions 215 and 340 of the spacers 200 and 300 arearranged at both end portions of the main body portions 211 and 310 ofthe spacers 200 and 300, respectively. In this way, the thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 of the spacers 200 and 300 are arranged at boththe end portions of the main body portions 211 and 310, so that thecooling device 20 can be disposed between the third protrusions 215 and340 at both the end portions. Accordingly, since the energy storagedevice 100 can be made to easily abut on the cooling device 20, theenergy storage device 100 can be easily cooled.

In the configuration in which the energy storage device 100 and thespacers 200 and 300 are bonded by the bonding members 510 and 520, onthe spacers 200 and 300, the first protruding portions that protrudefrom the spacer first surfaces 211 a and 311 on which the bondingmembers 510 and 520 are arranged toward the energy storage device 100are provided. Accordingly when the energy storage device 100 is about toswell, the first protruding portions can suppress the swelling of theenergy storage device 100 even if the joining members 510 and 520 arecompressed by the swelling force of the energy storage device 100. Evenif the joining members 510 and 520 are not compressed by the swellingforce of the energy storage device 100 due to high hardness or the likeof the joining members 510 and 520, the energy storage device 100 mayswell toward portions other than the joining members 510 and 520.However, even in this case, by arrangement of the first protrudingportions, it is possible to prevent the energy storage device 100 fromswelling toward portions other than the joining members 510 and 520.

By forming the first protrusions 213 and 320 protruding along the convexportion (gasket 121) of the energy storage device 100 in the spacers 200and 300, the energy storage device 100 and the spacers 200 and 300 canbe positioned without provision of portions sandwiching the side surfaceof the energy storage device 100 on the spacers 200 and 300. Thereby,the width of the energy storage apparatus 10 can be prevented fromincreasing, and the energy storage apparatus 10 can be downsized.

By disposing the first member 201 having high heat resistance at theposition abutting on the side surface of the energy storage device 100on the spacer 200, it is possible to prevent the spacer 200 fromdeforming or melting even when the energy storage device 100 has a hightemperature. The spacer 200 often has a complicated shape in order toinsulate or hold the energy storage device 100, but it is generallydifficult to process a member having high heat resistance into acomplicated shape. Therefore, if the second member 210 is formed capableof insulating or holding the energy storage device 100 by configuringthe spacer 200 to have the second member 210 that supports the endportion of the first member 201 having high heat resistance, it is notnecessary to process the first member 201 into a complicated shape. Inparticular, since the second member 210 is formed of resin and can beformed into a complicated shape, the second member 210 can be easilyformed into a structure that insulates or holds the energy storagedevice 100. Accordingly, the first member 201 having high heatresistance can be easily disposed on the spacer 200. As described above,since it is possible to prevent the spacer 200 from deforming or meltingby the first member 201 even when the energy storage device 100 has ahigh temperature (for example, 600° C. or the like) due to anabnormality of the energy storage device 100, etc., it is possible tomaintain the functions of the spacer 200, such as swelling suppressionor heat insulating property of the energy storage device 100, andsuppress the occurrence of defects.

By arranging the spacers 200 and 300 inside the energy storage device100 in the X-axis direction (that is, formed so as not to protrude fromthe energy storage device 100 in the X-axis direction), the width of theenergy storage apparatus 10 in the X-axis direction can be preventedfrom increasing. By forming concave-convex portions at the end portionsof the spacers 200 and 300 in the X-axis direction that are separatedfrom the energy storage device 100, the creepage distance between theenergy storage device 100 and other members (adjacent energy storagedevice 100 and the like) can be increased at the end portions of thespacers 200 and 300 in the X-axis direction. This makes it possible toreduce the size of the energy storage apparatus 10 while achievinginsulation at the end portion of the energy storage device 100 in theX-axis direction.

In the energy storage device 100, a current flows through the electrodeterminal 120. Therefore, in order to ensure insulation between theenergy storage device 100 and the conductive member (side plate 700), itis important to ensure insulation between the electrode terminal 120 ofthe energy storage device 100 and the conductive member. Therefore, inthe first insulating member (insulator 600) between the energy storagedevice 100 and the conductive member, the portion on the electrodeterminal 120 side is extended. This makes it possible to increase thecreepage distance between the electrode terminal 120 of the energystorage device 100 and the conductive member, so that the insulationbetween the energy storage device 100 and the conductive member can beimproved.

In the conductive member, the concave portion 711 that is recessed inthe outer edge on the Z-axis plus direction side (electrode terminal 120side) is formed. This makes it possible to increase the creepagedistance between the electrode terminal 120 of the energy storage device100 and the conductive member, so that the insulation between the energystorage device 100 and the conductive member can be improved.

In the pressing member (insulator 600 and side plate 700), in order topress all the energy storage devices 100 with a large force, it isnecessary to arrange all the energy storage devices 100 so that they arepressed with a large force by all the pressing parts. Since it may bedifficult to configure the pressing member, the pressing forces by thepressing parts are made different. As described above, since it is notnecessary to press all the energy storage devices 100 with a large forceby all the pressing parts, it is possible to easily configure thepressing member that presses the plurality of energy storage devices100.

[9 Description of Variants]

Although the energy storage apparatus 10 according to the presentembodiment has been described heretofore, the present invention is notlimited to the above-mentioned embodiment. That is, it should beconstrued that the embodiment disclosed in this specification is onlyfor an exemplifying purpose in all aspects and is not limited. The scopeof the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes meaningsequivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

In the above-described embodiment, the third protrusions 215 and 340 ofthe spacers 200 and 300 are provided so as to protrude in the directionfrom the main body portions 211 and 310 to the bottom surface (casethird surface 111 b) side of the energy storage device 100. However,when the cooling device 20 is disposed on the side surface (case secondsurface 111 a) of the energy storage device 100, the third protrusions215 and 340 may be provided so as to protrude in the direction from themain body portions 211 and 310 to the side surface (case second surface111 a) side of the energy storage device 100.

In the above-described embodiment, the third protrusions 215 and 340 ofthe spacers 200 and 300 have shapes that do not protrude from the casethird surface 111 b of the energy storage device 100. However, the thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 may protrude from the case third surface 111 bas long as they have shapes that do not abut on the case third surface111 b of the energy storage device 100.

In the above-described embodiment, the insulator 600 abuts on the thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 and the case third surface 111 b. However, theinsulator 600 may not abut on part or all of the third protrusions 215and 340 and the case third surface 111 b. The insulator 600 may not abuton the case second surface 111 a of the energy storage device 100.

In the above-described embodiment, the end edges of the thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 and the case third surface 111 b are arranged onthe same plane, but they may be arranged on different planes.

In the above-described embodiment, two third protrusions 215 and 340 arearranged at both the end portions of the main body portions 211 and 310of the spacers 200 and 300, but they may be arranged at positions otherthan both the end portions. Alternatively, one or three or more thirdprotrusions 215 and 340 may be arranged.

In the above-described embodiment, all the spacers 200 have theabove-described configuration, but any spacer 200 may have aconfiguration different from the above. The same applies to the spacer300, the energy storage device 100, the insulator 600, and the sideplate 700.

The configurations which are made by arbitrarily combining therespective components which the above-mentioned embodiment and variantsthereof include are also included in the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be realized not only as such an energy storageapparatus 10 but also as the spacers 200 and 300.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be applied to an energy storage apparatus orthe like including an energy storage device such as a lithium ionsecondary battery.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   -   10: energy storage apparatus    -   100: energy storage device    -   110: case    -   111 a: case second surface    -   111 b: case third surface    -   111 c: case fourth surface    -   111 d: case corner    -   112 a: case first surface    -   115: joint    -   120: electrode terminal    -   121: gasket    -   200, 300: spacer    -   201: first member    -   210: second member    -   211, 310: main body portion    -   211 a, 311: spacer first surface    -   211 b, 312 b: joint protrusion    -   211 c: first concave portion    -   211 d: sandwiching part    -   211 e: second concave portion    -   211 f, 313: spacer second surface    -   212: opening    -   213, 320: first protrusion    -   214, 330: second protrusion    -   214 a: convex portion    -   214 b, 331, 332: concave portion    -   215, 340: third protrusion    -   221: engaging part    -   240, 510, 520, 530: joining member    -   312: first protruding portion    -   312 a: central protruding portion    -   600: insulator

The invention claimed is:
 1. An energy storage apparatus, comprising: anenergy storage device including a terminal disposed on a first surfaceof the energy storage device opposite to a third surface of the energystorage device; and a spacer, wherein the spacer includes: a main bodyportion facing a fourth surface of the energy storage device; and aprotrusion having a shape that protrudes in a first direction that is adirection from the main body portion to the third surface that faces thefirst direction, the protrusion being disposed along the fourth surfaceand the protrusion not abutting on the third surface, and wherein an endedge of the main body portion in the first direction is positioned on anopposite side of the first direction relative to the third surface. 2.The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising anabutting member that abuts on the third surface.
 3. The energy storageapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the abutting member abuts on asecond surface of the energy storage device that faces a seconddirection intersecting the first direction.
 4. The energy storageapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion abuts on theabutting member.
 5. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1,wherein an end edge of the protrusion in the first direction is disposedon the same plane as the third surface.
 6. The energy storage apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes at least twoprotrusions, and wherein the two protrusions are disposed at both endportions of the main body portion in a second direction intersecting thefirst direction.
 7. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the protrusion protrudes in the first direction from a bottomedge of the spacer away from the terminal of the energy storage device.8. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spaceris arranged with the energy storage device in an arrangement direction.9. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 8, wherein theprotrusion protrudes in a direction intersecting the arrangementdirection.
 10. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 9,wherein the third surface is spaced away from an end edge of the mainbody portion in the direction intersecting the arrangement direction.11. An energy storage apparatus, comprising: an energy storage deviceincluding a terminal disposed on a first surface of the energy storagedevice opposite to a third surface of the energy storage device; and aspacer, wherein the spacer includes: a main body portion facing a fourthsurface of the energy storage device; and a protrusion that protrudes ina first direction that is a direction from the main body portion to thethird surface that faces the first direction, the protrusion facing thefourth surface, wherein an end edge of the main body portion in thefirst direction is positioned on an opposite side of the first directionrelative to the third surface, and wherein the energy storage apparatusfurther comprises an abutting member that abuts on the third surface.12. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein theabutting member abuts on a second surface of the energy storage devicethat faces a second direction intersecting the first direction.
 13. Theenergy storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the protrusionabuts on the abutting member.
 14. The energy storage apparatus accordingto claim 11, wherein an end edge of the protrusion in the firstdirection is disposed on the same plane as the third surface.
 15. Theenergy storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the protrusionincludes at least two protrusions, and wherein the two protrusions aredisposed at both end portions of the main body portion in a seconddirection intersecting the first direction.
 16. An energy storageapparatus comprising: an energy storage device including a terminaldisposed on a first surface of the energy storage device opposite to athird surface of the energy storage device; and a spacer arranged withthe energy storage device in an arrangement direction, wherein thespacer includes: a main body portion facing a fourth surface of theenergy storage device; and a protrusion that protrudes in a directionintersecting the arrangement direction, the protrusion being disposedalong the fourth surface, the protrusion not abutting on the thirdsurface that faces the direction intersecting the arrangement direction,wherein the third surface is spaced away from an end edge of the mainbody portion in the direction intersecting the arrangement direction,and wherein an end edge of the protrusion in the direction intersectingthe arrangement direction is disposed on the same plane as the thirdsurface.
 17. The energy storage apparatus according to claim 16, furthercomprising an abutting member that abuts on the third surface.
 18. Theenergy storage apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the abuttingmember abuts on a second surface of the energy storage device that facesa second direction intersecting both the arrangement direction and thedirection intersecting the arrangement direction.
 19. The energy storageapparatus according to claim 17, wherein the protrusion abuts on theabutting member.